2006: It was a very good year
What a difference a year makes.
There have been some very exciting changes and interesting directions taken within marketing, advertising and communications this year. The CMA blog and the participation in it is just one example of change in action.
This year saw the rise of what I like to refer to as Fifteen Megs of Fame. This is not just about achieving fame at an individual level but, more importantly, it is about achieving and sustaining it for brands. This year we saw experimentation, sharing, learning, collaboration, comparing, conversing and testing from companies big and small. The list of those on the move from traditional to non-conventional marketing was long. Those like Smirnoff, Mentos, Coke, Wal-Mart, GM/Chevy, Telus, Starbucks, Starwood Hotels and even Scotiabank found their Fifteen Megs, or more. Many of these brands were examples of putting quality above quantity and, although a few stumbled along the way, ultimately some large steps in the right direction were taken.
This year, words like social media, consumer generated content and citizen marketing (to name just a few) became part of the vernacular. Given my role in digital and new media, I admit I may be a bit biased. However, I believe the mainstream status quo has started to change. This is a good thing.
Reading blogs, contributing to wikis, listening to podcasts, joining virtual communities and increasing our participation in marketing conversations showed that significant strides are being taken inwards from the fringe. Each area demonstrated unique attributes that were increasingly applied across multiple discipline and channels.
We started to unleash the real power of where marketing is headed this year. Once misunderstood or seemingly complex elements are now seen as important tools. Such tactical enablers are being used for both internal and external purposes and seem to be growing exponentially. This is a very good thing.
At CMA National Convention in Montreal this year we learned about Life After The 30 Second Spot. We experienced what Experiential Marketing is all about. We were shaken up on Radical Careering and shown how the best advertising is an emotional play - an exercise in SISOMO.
At the Digital Marketing Conference just a couple of months ago we learned what Six Pixels of Separation means and, how our future state is based on the notion that Everything is Miscellaneous.
Themes throughout the year continually returned our attention to return-on-marketing-investment. We also moved to locate grass versus mass appeal. The focus seemed to shift away from the simple science of ”reach” to one of “resonance”. We began to think of audiences that we should attract, not just ones we could attack. The lines began to blur even further this year between where public relations stops and marketing begins. And, thank goodness we began to see transparency and accountability take centre stage in terms of going from a “nice-to-have” to a “must-do”.
So, my fellow marketers, this was a year where we fortified our preparedness and our manifesto to address those who are still standing on the sides that claim it is all hype. The future seemed to unfold in front of us each day as we witnessed legitimate change taking hold. Not a revolution but an evolution. Bottom line is that things are getting exciting all over again. And that is the best thing.
One quote to leave you with from CMA keynote presenter Joseph Jaffe is “Don’t get caught asking about or looking for the next big thing. The next big thing is right in front of you. It is today. It is all the opportunities seen in the new world of marketing that you have not tried yet.” I tend to agree.
For anyone reading this who wants to learn more about what is going on, look no further than the resources at CMA. As a representative of CMA's Digital Marketing Council, I encourage you to tap into our deep pool of resources. Ask questions. Raise the debate. Join the conversation. You will be glad you did.
